Those of you who have eaten at a Joe's Crab Shack - how is it?

[Rabrrrrrr]

I keep seeing commercials for it on TV, but I've never seen one in person. No idea where in the country they are.

But they make damn hungry for crab and shrimp and lobster every time one of the *&#*&$ commercials come on.

is the food any good? Should I feel bad that I don't live near one?

And how are prices compared to Red Lobster?

[Avalux]

1. I probably shouldn't tell you about my experience at Joe's Crab Shack.

:yoiks:

[MicaelS]

2. Not impressed......

Food was ok, prices about same a Dead Lobster.

Link to website, looks like they are widespread. http://www.joescrabshack.com/default.aspx

[seabeyond]

3. we really like it. hubby loves crab. he can get some good crab there. not a lot in amarillo, tx

much better than red lobster. the crab is expensive, but it is everywhere. most restaurants in this area are steak, so we loved the place just cause different. it went out of business. they put a steak house in. my hubby down and depressed. i jab him when a crab shack commercial comes ona nd sympathically giggle.... lol

[Kali]

4. according to my sons

it is a gimmicky, singing-waiter, overpriced chain restaurant.

my oldest son's comment: some of them were into it (the singing waitstaff) but you know most of them were in pain, humiliated. (not sure if he is projecting or what but I can imagine)

[Sweet Freedom]

5. I think it's really mediocre

I heard the crab pots are good, but I've never found anything there that I would want to eat again, which is disappointing since there's one really close to my neighborhood and I love seafood. :(

[MiddleFingerMom]

6. I seem to be in a distinct minority on this site, but I used to like Red Lobster...

.
.
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...back in the '80s. Most specifically for their langoustinos (I don't think they
serve them anymore) and (I think) their cheese biscuits.
.
.
.
Two Red Lobster stories:
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1. I went there with about half-a-dozen friends and I ordered steak-and-langoustinos
(tiny European lobsters). The waitress brought me out steak-and-lobster-tail. When I
pointed out the mistake, she was graciously apologetic and, when I passed her my
plate because I still wanted the original order, she refused it and told me it was my
"free appetizer".
.
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2. I and my GF at the time and her 10-year-old daughter were going to go there for dinner,
but my GF wasn't feeling very well. Her daughter and I were dressed up and she INSISTED
that we go anyway. Her daughter was in this demure prom-type dress and felt very grown
up. We were having a very nice time when I realized that people were shooting visual
daggers in my direction from all over the room. They apparently assumed that she was my
"date". She never realized it and, after the initial shock of realization, I was able to laugh
it off and ignore it -- and we continued to have a great time. We both took half our meals
home for when her mom felt better (and brought her home a piece of key lime pie -- I don't
know ANYONE who's too sick for a slice of key lime pie).
.
.
.

[csziggy]

9. Red Lobster used to be good until they franchised the name

I grew up not far from the original Red Lobster in Lakeland, Florida. We went out there for very special events, usually when my grandmother was feeling very generous (her other choices to take us were Morrison's and McDonald's). The food was good and the serving sizes generous. Mom could usually make an entire other meal out of the leftovers. Back the (1960s) Lawton Chiles was the owner, or one of the owners, of Red Lobster.

I've only eaten at the Red Lobster here in Tallahassee once. We tried a number of times, but it always had a long line waiting for tables and they did not do reservations. The one time we did manage to get a table, the food was mediocre and the waitress smelled so much of cigarette smoke I had an asthma attack. We've never bothered to try to go back.

[Lady President]

7. It's the Olive Garden of sea food

'nuff said.

[Richard Steele]

8. I got the 'special'- very disappointing. My companion ordered from the menu, and it was OK.

Not great, but OK.

All in all, we both agreed that it was the
"Red Lobster" scheme all over again- a
'fast food' joint pretending to be
a REAL seafood restaraunt.

They're spending more on their ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
than they're spending on quality seafood.

Skip Joes; go to a real seafood restaurant
and spend the extra 10 bucks on a meal that won't
make you spend half the next morning pooping green toothpaste.

Just sayin'.

[csziggy]

10. It's been too long since I ate at Joe's

The only thing I remember are the tables - looked like cable reels and you just threw the trash into the hole in the middle. Other than that, it was completely forgettable.

Around here if I want seafood, we drive down to the coast and eat at a restaurant where we can watch the fishing boats go in and out.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

11. I like it.

But keep in mind, I have no experience eating fresh seafood so I don't have much to compare it to.

[ohiosmith]

12. Wasn't bad at one time. Sucks now. The one a mile from us closed after just a few years. The last

time I was there, it took 30 minutes to get our drink order. The waitress said the bartender was on a break. At fucking lunch time. There was a puddle of what appeared to be beer on the floor that wasn't mopped the entire time we were there. After waiting 45 minutes for our appies, the wrong order was brough to our table. Not wanting to wait longer we tried to eat the shit we were given. It was greasy, cold and unrecognizable. I paid for only the drinks and left.

I contacted the Regional Director who offered me a gift certificate for a free entree. I thanked him but declined.

[Burma Jones]

13. I live in Maryland, we have excellent non-chain seafood restaurants

I've eaten at Joe's Crab Shack once, I had my kids with me (5 and 3 at the time) so a place like Joe's was fine, I did not care whether they made noise since the restaurant itself was hugely noisy and already full of loud children.

The food is cafeteria quality seafood, processed seafood - I was even wondering whether the lettuce was perhaps once frozen.

I have not been to Red Lobster in at least 20 years, so I can't compare.

I think around here, Joe's serves primarily as a place for 20-somethings to drink prior to fornication, reason enough for its existence.

If you live anywhere near a coast, go find a better place to eat. If you don't, go buy the crab, shrimp or lobster and cook it yourself. You can get good frozen shrimp, I doubt you can get good frozen lobster and if by crab, you mean crab legs, you can get that frozen too. I'm spoiled, I get a couple of bushels of live Blue Crabs several times a year and invite folks over for the best excuse to eat butter.......

[StarlightGold]

14. Lousy

Tried to give it a couple of chances, but the seafood was not fresh in any sense of the word. As we were leaving one time, we overheard another table complain that the fish did not taste fresh.

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. Thanks for the input, everyone! Now I know not to feel bad I don't live near one.

Whew!!

Sounds like a typical chain pseudo-restaurant shithole.

[El Supremo]

16. Loud.

I'll never go there again.